Vehicle rear end



D. MACDONALD.

VEHICLE REAR END. APPLICATION FILED 0CT23, I920.

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Patented Oct. 10,1922.

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Duncan MACDONALD, or rirrsnnnen, rnnnsritvnnra.

"VEHICLE END.

Application filed 0 3t0bei- 23, 1920. Serial No. 418,922.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DUNCAN MAoDonALo, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have made anew and useful Improvement;in'Vehicle Rear,

Ends,ot which the following is a specification. f j i My invention relates to motor vehicles and is especially adapted for use in steam-driven vehicles. The invention consists in improvements in the engine mounting, and rear axle construction shownand described in a previous application filed by me which resulted in patent No, 1,814,528, issued Sop tember 2, 1 919. i

my invention is to secure a An object of more rigid and more compact assembly of the engine and rear axle, to provide an axle adapted for thls type of driving mechanism and to facilitate access to the interiorof the rear end construction. j

These objects are attained in the construction illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which Figure l-is' a vertical section through the rear endof a vehicle showing one oi the traction wheels'and partofthe engine; Fig. 2 is a plan of the driving- 1necha- 4iby a suspension link 5 which may have a cushioned connection 6 to the cylinder unit. The vehicle rear wheels 7 are rotatably mounted on the ends oian axle 8 which has a a substantially l-shaped central section having portions of its web cut away at 9 and 10 and the adjacent web portions recessed at 11, 12 and 13 to form bearings for a pair of crank-shafts 14k and 15. These crankshafts are driven from. the cylinder unit by the connecting rods 16 which are connected at their other ends to the piston rods of pistons liworlring in the cylinders Band extend through axle 8 todrivingly engage wheels 7. The cutaway portionsQQand 10 of axle 8 afford room for the rotation of the crank portions of crankshafts 14; and 15. Bearing caps 18, 19 and 20 co-operate with recesses 11, 12 and 13 to complete the crankshaftbearings. Theopposite ends of rods 21 are screwed into cylinder unit 3 and axle 8 respectively, and space the unit from the axle and co-operate with link 5 to support the engine. By means oi"; angles 27, rods 21 mount ways 28 on which slide the piston cross heads 9,2. Rods 21 andbolts 23 removably secure the bearing caps 18, 19 and 20. i i

. A casing 2 1 extends from aXleB to a plate mentary casing 26, completely encloses the moving parts outsideo'l cylinders 8. Casing 26 easily removed to provide access to the crank-shaft and bearings.

25 adjacent cylinders 3 and, with a supple,

The axle, while of a rigid 1-bea1n section 1 at its weaker parts, is constructed to permit the; alignment of the orankshafts with the central web portion and to form bearings for same. 1

As pointed out. in the above-mentioned patent specification, the necessity of the usual differential gearing is eliminated as the single steam. line automatically supplies the pair of cylinders operating each wheel with the necessary steam to displace their;

respective pistons so as to propel that wheel a certain distance. If one traction wheel meets with greater resistance than the other (as doesthe inner wheel on a curve) the resistance to the piston movement in the cylinders will result in more steam being diverted to the other cylinders and proportionately increased. driventravel oi their traction wheel. The absence of a differential mechanism in the rear end contributes largely to the compactness of the mechanism and it enables the rear axle to be lighter and more rigid than otherwise. The weight of the power plant is removed from the housing anc transferred to a strong axle which encloses the driving axle. The casing 24 is retained for a cover but is relieved from acting as a load support. The engine is moved nearer to the rear wheels and the whole power plant materially stiflienedand this is.

accomplished at a reduction in cost of material, and labor from the design disclosed in the abovementioned patent;

I claim as my invention:

1.111 21 motor-driven vehicle, a driving.-

end construction comprisinga load-bearing axle having tubular end portions and a vertically webbed intermediate portion provided with apertures, driving wheels rotatably mounted on the ends of said l0ad-bear- 'ing provided for by said apertures, and

' the ing axle, and a pair of driving axles operatively connected with said wheels and'havmg their outer end portions housed in the tubular portions of the load-bearing axle adjacent end portions are provided with cranks for the applicationof rotative power, clearance for the revolution of said cranks being provided by said apertures, and bearings carried by the intermediate portion of said load bearing axle for the inner end portions of said driving axles.

3.'In a motor-driven vehicle, a driving end construction comprising a load-bearing axle having tubular end portions and vertically webbed intermediate portion offset from the axis of said end portions and pro vided with apertures, driving wheels rotatably mounted on the ends of said loadbearing' axle, a pair of driving axles operatively connected with said wheels and havng their outer end portions housed in the tubular portions of said load-bearing axle while their adjacent end portions are provided with cranks for the application of rotative power, clearance for the revolution of said cranks being provided for by said apertures.

In a motor-driven vehicle. a driving end struction comprisino; a load-bearinsg axle ow ng tubular end portions and a vertically bed intermed ate portion offset from the 4 of said end portions and provided with apertures, drivingwheels rotatably mounted on the ends of said in d-bearin; ax e, a r ct drivine axles operatively connected th said wheels and having their outer end portions housed in the tubular portions f sa d load-hearing while their adjaend For the application of rotative power, clearnce for he revolution of said cranks be he ringscarrie'd by said load-bearing axle for the inner end portions of said driving x es. 5. In motor-vehicle driving mechanism, combination of a continuous loadbearing axe having tubular ends, drivingwheels po tions are provided with cranks rotatably mounted on said tubular ends, thrivingnxles housed in the tubular ends of said load-bearing axle and operatively connected to said driving wheels, the inner adjacent ends of said driving axles being provided with crank portions, a reciprocating engine having" one end supymrted from the frame of the vehicle, a housing mounted directly on the intermediate portion of said load-bearing axle and to which the other end of said engine is attached, and operative connection, contained within said housing, between said engine and the crank portions of said driving-axles.

6. In motor-vehicle driving mechanism, the combination of a continuous load-bearing axle having tubular ends and a vertically webbed intermediate portion provided with apertures, driving wheels rotatably mounted on the tubular ends oi said load-hearing axle, driving-axles housed in the tubular ends of said load-bearing axle and operatively connected with said driving wheels, the adjacent ends oi said driving axles being provided with crank portions which revolve in said apertures in the loml-hcaring axle, a reciprocating engine having one end supported from the vehicle frame, a hon ing secured to the webbed portion of said load-bearinu axle and to which the other end of said engine is attached, and opt, rative connection between said engine and the crank portions of said driving-axles, said operati ve connection being contained in said housing.

7. In n1otorvehiclc driving meclnznism, the combination of a continuous load-Maring axle having tubular ends and a vortically webbed intermediate portion provided with apertures, driving wheels rotatably mounted on the tubular ends 01 said loadbearing axle, driving-axles housed in the tubular ends 01" said loadbcaringr axle and operatively connected with said driv ng: wheels, the adjacent ends oi said drivlng axles being provided with crank portions which revolve in said apertures in the loudhearing axle, a reciprocating engine having one end supported from he vehicle :unc. housingsecured to the webbed portion of said load-bearing axle and to which the other end 0'! said engine is attached, operative connection hetweel'i said engine and the crank portions of said driving-axles, said operative connection being: contained in said housing. and a second housing secured h oed portion of? said (l \'lll {-rlXl0 DUNCAN MACDONALD. 

